UTFA is negotiating a second contract for faculty and librarians employed by the University of Saint Michael’s College. We have been in negotiations since early summer 2014. However, the negotiations have stalled over a few remaining issues, including, significantly, job security for faculty with teaching intensive appointments. The USMC Administration actually gave notice in October 2014 to terminate the three faculty in question effective June 2015. Only because of the firm resolve shown by our membership at USMC was that notice subsequently rescinded. Now the employer is refusing to agree to language providing job security provisions sufficient to protect academic freedom for these continuing faculty appointments, thereby threatening to undermine the integrity and quality of undergraduate instruction. We will be in a legal strike position as of February 6. Although we hope to reach an agreement without a work stoppage, we will not agree to casualize continuing academic appointments.

At this time, it would be very helpful if you could send emails and letters to the Administration of the University of Saint Michael’s College calling on the employer to agree to job security language for continuing faculty that is consistent with established principles of academic freedom and with prevailing norms for teaching intensive faculty in the U of T community more generally. You are encouraged to write to: